Saturday, September 28, 2019

Free and Pay-What-You-Want 5e DMs Guild Highlights: Week Ending 9.28.19

Every week, talented creators upload Dungeons and Dragons products to the DMs Guild, pricing them as free or pay-what-you-want in order to reach customers. Dozens of new free and pwyw products are added each week alone. It is a lot to sort through. My hope is that highlighting a few of each week's best supplements will help the designers get the attention they deserve.

You can find previous posts in this series HERE.


The Spontaneous Dungeon Master's Companion from Robert Peake



While the layout isn't going to win any awards, this is still an excellent collection of tools (mostly random tables) for DMs that like to wing it. Random encounters, NPCs, traps, treasure, and more.


A Silver Dark: A One-Page Adventure for Saltmarsh from D Taylor



I LOVE one page adventures. There is something magical about one night's adventuring in a concise and creative format. This is an excerpt from a larger work, The Lonely Scroll Adventure Contest, so if you like this you might want to check it out.


The Magical Junk Drawer from David D



Fun and creative collection of very minor magic items, such as the Exfoliator, which magically removes callouses, and Elminster's Earrings, which give an appearance of tiny dancing lights around the head of the wearer. Magical bric-a-brac.


Potion Crafting-Simple Rules for Aspiring Alchemists from Brandon Brown



This supplement is highlighted by the huge amount of attention given to potion ingredients and their procurement. How exactly DO you keep Oni blood from spoiling? Will a stressed Pixie produce dust? How much are the fingernails of Storm Giant worth? Basically filled with killer adventure hooks.


100 Activities at the Faire from Official Dndspeak



Yet another excellent random table from the Official Dndspeak folks. Festivals and fairs make for great backdrops for adventures and are great ways to bring cities or small towns to life. This table gives you plenty of flavor to help.


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Friday, September 27, 2019

Thought Eater Podcast: Best "Generic" System II: The People Have Spoken!

Happy weekend everybody! On last Friday's show (CLICK HERE), I was talking about "generic", do-it-all RPG systems. The best one I could come up with was Chaosium's Basic Roleplaying game. I got a LOT of suggestions on social media and a couple of call-ins, so I put together a follow up episode for you today sharing the other ideas.





If you enjoy my free zinepodcast, and/or blog, please consider supporting my work for only $1 per month.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Humpday Blog-O-Rama 9.25.19

Blogs are an integral, vital part of the RPG hobby. They serve as incubators for new games, sounding boards for fresh ideas, and platforms for up-and-coming talent. They keep "forgotten" games alive, foster discussions, and build communities.

Every Wednesday on the Thought Eater podcast and blog, I take a look at what is going on in the vibrant RPG blog scene. Check out previous Humpday Blog-O-Rama posts HERE.



INTRO



https://akraticwizardry.blogspot.com/2019/09/osric-fanzine-saving-throw.html

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/288750/Saving-Throw-fundraiser-fanzine-for-James-D-Kramer?



ARNESON



http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.com/2019/09/blackmoor-week-2019-7-days-till-dave.html



MAPS


https://thethingswedoforxp.blogspot.com/2019/09/pirate-wavecrawl-isle-of-dread.html


https://www.2minutetabletop.com/sewer-map-assets/






REVIEWS



https://comicbook.com/gaming/2019/09/17/dungeons-and-dragons-descent-into-avernus-review/

https://www.tribality.com/2019/09/18/baldurs-gate-descent-into-avernus-review/

https://arcaneeye.com/dm-tools-5e/adventures/baldurs-gate-descent-into-avernus-review/



https://beyondfomalhaut.blogspot.com/2019/09/review-through-ultans-door-issue-2.html



http://rlyehreviews.blogspot.com/2019/09/a-poseidon-adventure-in-space.html



RANDOM TABLES AND GENERATORS



http://themansegaming.blogspot.com/2019/09/bloodthirsty-gladiator-generator.html

https://diyanddragons.blogspot.com/2019/09/da12-e-is-for-echoes.html

http://3toadstools.blogspot.com/2019/09/d10-rumours.html

https://justabyssbiz.blogspot.com/p/everyday-normal-name-generator.html

https://roseandkingfisher.blogspot.com/2019/09/d100-trash-and-junk-table.html

http://slugsandsilver.blogspot.com/2019/09/the-best-osr-tables.html



FREE STUFF



http://www.rustmonsteratemysword.com/2019/09/from-vault-temple-of-moon-worshippers.html



https://shoalmontgames.com/2019/09/20/to-think-of-the-life-of-a-man-one-page-prep/



https://pierrotsayz.blogspot.com/2019/09/i-made-something.html

https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/unearthed-arcana/bard-paladin



http://darkwormcolt.blogspot.com/2019/09/supercondensator-freeform-traveller.html

http://www.vetustosdelrol.com/2019/09/aventura-estacion-abandonada.html



http://leicestersramble.blogspot.com/2019/09/acid-cavern-of-flemdagroon-snot-snot.html



MISCELLANY



https://greyhawkonline.com/2019/09/21/a-fifth-of-greyhawk-introducing-5e-players-to-oerth-part-



http://darksunadventures.blogspot.com/2019/09/dark-sun-trading-cards-04.html

https://cannibalhalflinggaming.com/2019/09/18/rpg-market-data-is-a-mess/one/



https://dumpstatadventures.com/blog/deep-dive-the-blood-war



https://kotaku.com/truck-carrying-gaming-dice-spills-onto-highway-rolls-a-1838218869


CHARACTER SHEETS



https://maziriansgarden.blogspot.com/2019/09/speaking-of-splendid-itemscheck-out.html


If you enjoy my free zinepodcast, and/or blog, please consider supporting my work for only $1 per month. 


Sunday, September 22, 2019

Thought Eater Podcast: Froth University: Froth Goes Back to School!

Join me on the podcast today as I discuss game prep for my eventual Savage Worlds 1980's East Texas University game! I talk about the 1980's technology, stereotypes, films, and music that will inform the campaign.



If you enjoy my free zinepodcast, and/or blog, please consider supporting my work for only $1 per month.


Saturday, September 21, 2019

Free and Pay-What-You-Want 5e DMs Guild Highlights: Week Ending 9.21.19

Every week, talented creators upload Dungeons and Dragons products to the DMs Guild, pricing them as free or pay-what-you-want in order to reach customers. Dozens of new free and pwyw products are added each week alone. It is a lot to sort through. My hope is that highlighting a few of each week's best supplements will help the designers get the attention they deserve.

You can find previous posts in this series HERE.

This felt like a slow week...and there were still 35 new products! 



Bard-College of Word Crime from Andrew Fallows



Clever Bard archetype with a capstone ability that rewards the use of puns. I have a co-worker who would love this one.


Combat Reference from Remington Churchill




This is a well-organized, free reference sheet ideal for new players.


FoulFellow Elixir Compendium from POIsuit47 and SaichaEevee




This is a collection of potions and elixirs presented in a style reminiscent of an early 1900s catalog. I appreciated the use of temporary side effects with these. For example, it is possible that the Elixir of Dragon's Breath might make you grow a dragon's tail for day!


Wendi from Christian Dawson




Welcome to the village of Eswick. If the food shortage won't get you, then the wendigo will. This short investigative/horror adventure comes with audio files to heighten the atmosphere.


If you enjoy my free zinepodcast, and/or blog, please consider supporting my work for only $1 per month.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Thought Eater Podcast: Five Minute Friday: Best "Generic" System

A lot of RPG systems do one style of game well. Maybe even two or three styles. But what "generic" system does every genre well?



If you enjoy my free zinepodcast, and/or blog, please consider supporting my work for only $1 per month. 

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Humpday Blog-O-Rama 9.18.19

Blogs are an integral, vital part of the RPG hobby. They serve as incubators for new games, sounding boards for fresh ideas, and platforms for up-and-coming talent. They keep "forgotten" games alive, foster discussions, and build communities.

Every Wednesday on the Thought Eater podcast and blog, I take a look at what is going on in the vibrant RPG blog scene. Check out previous Humpday Blog-O-Rama posts HERE.



INTRO


https://grodog.blogspot.com/2019/09/saving-throw-new-osric-zine-to-support-jim-kramer.html

https://tenfootpole.org/ironspike/?p=6236



Advanced Weather Table



http://lordgwydion.blogspot.com/2019/09/10th-blogversary-decade-of-wahnthac.html


MAPS



https://thethingswedoforxp.blogspot.com/2019/09/handicrafts-felt-ocean-and-islands-for.html



https://www.frugalgm.com/2019/09/free-gm-resource-historic-cities-map.html
http://historic-cities.huji.ac.il/historic_cities.html



http://socks-studio.com/2012/04/06/walls-as-rooms-british-castles-and-louis-khan/


5E STUFF



https://www.geeknative.com/68506/wotc-changes-eberron-rising-from-the-last-war-cover/

https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/unearthed-arcana/sorcerer-and-warlock



https://dysonlogos.blog/2019/09/11/descent-into-avernus/

http://dreamsinthelichhouse.blogspot.com/2019/09/a-look-at-d-essentials-kit.html

http://dndadventurersleague.org/season-9-campaign-documentation-release/
http://dndadventurersleague.org/season-9-character-conversion-dm-rewards/

https://arcaneeye.com/dm-tools-5e/dnd-5e-adventures-modules/


REVIEWS AND RETROSPECTIVES



https://coinsandscrolls.blogspot.com/2019/09/osr-review-demon-collective-vol-1.html



https://retiredadventurer.blogspot.com/2019/09/review-pathfinder-2e.html



https://robotgoblin.com/2019/09/14/fuck-balance-lets-dance-tunnels-trolls-kicks-ass/



https://www.theseoldgames.com/2019/09/miniature-treasures-moldy-unicorn.html



http://endzeitgeist.com/the-chest-osr/



https://viridianscroll.blogspot.com/2019/09/rob-kuntz-arnesons-true-genius.html


RANDOM TABLES AND GENERATORS

https://oldschoolfrp.tumblr.com/post/187668066499/picking-pockets-tables-from-add-forgotten-realms

https://diyanddragons.blogspot.com/2019/09/da12-d-is-for-doorways.html

http://twogoblinsinatrenchcoat.blogspot.com/2019/09/d100-discordant-wizard-names.html


FREE STUFF



https://shoalmontgames.com/2019/09/15/ice-floes-of-stygia-one-page-prep/
https://shoalmontgames.com/2019/09/14/the-arctic-trail-one-page-prep/



http://chaudronchromatique.blogspot.com/2019/09/tiny-goons.html


http://9and30kingdoms.blogspot.com/2019/09/urban-geomorphs-common-quarter-block-3.html



http://punverse.blogspot.com/2019/09/thank-god-its-friday-free-pdf.html



http://leicestersramble.blogspot.com/2019/09/never-enough-monkey-matts-map-mutilated.html

https://polyhedralnonsense.wordpress.com/2019/09/14/gamma-world-1st-edition-fillable-character-sheets-artifact-sheet/



http://www.canonfire.com/cf/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=5

https://rendedpress.blogspot.com/2019/09/toss-off-issue-7.html



https://www.geeknative.com/68462/the-official-carnival-row-rpg-is-free-to-download/


MISCELLANY



http://slugsandsilver.blogspot.com/2019/09/petit-albert-spells.html

http://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/2019/09/jousting-minigame.html

https://www.wsj.com/articles/will-your-uploaded-mind-still-be-you-11568386410



http://darksunadventures.blogspot.com/2019/09/dark-sun-trading-cards-03.html

http://deltasdnd.blogspot.com/2019/09/friday-figures-outdoor-areas.html



https://goblinmanor.blogspot.com/2019/09/goblins-goblin-rpg-resources.html



https://dragonsneverforget.wordpress.com/category/gygax-75-challenge/



http://wargamingmiscellany.blogspot.com/2019/09/liber-museo-de-los-soldaditos-de-plomo_11.html


CONSENT IN GAMING

http://www.crossplanes.com/2019/09/monte-cook-games-consent-in-gaming.html


If you enjoy my free zinepodcast, and/or blog, please consider supporting my work for only $1 per month.